Chapter 5

After a long run through the wilderness, the grassy lands appeared. Over the grotesque rocks, Leticia could see the highlands.

Leticia saw the Halstead Castle.

This place was different from what Leticia had imagined.

First of all, the first thing you see is overwhelmingly long walls.

In the front, the walls had been hollowed. But in the back, as if to show a rough history, the mud-colored masonry fortress soared to the sky.

It was a large castle that had an angular form on all sides.
Under the dreary sky, Halstead Castle gave off an overwhelming presence.

It was never a place with swans and fireworks. It was perfect for the background of a story of ghosts and vampires.

'This is like a prison.'

That was Leticia's first impression.

Passing through the heavily guarded Dogaegio Bridge, which has a wide range of foreign affairs, a place to train soldiers came into sight.

After crossing the moat of the castle again, the nature of men appeared. Ten towers, like these knights, formed an enclosed circle.
Leticia went up the long stairs and finally entered the castle.

While Leticia passed by the castle servants, they greeted her, and at the same time, they were surprised.

“No, what's wrong with you?”

The Lord, who was there just now, had vanished. The soldiers who came up together answered.

“Don't be surprised, it's Count Grey's daughter. The reason why we weren't able to contact her was that she was attacked by the imps.”

“What?”

It was then.

“What? Who came?”

A harsh voice could be heard.

Three gray-haired old women strode out of the hall.

Leticia's heart sank.

'Evil witches!'

People told me that there were evil witches who obeyed the Lord in this city. They exceeded her imagination.

One of the witches' eyes were unusually blue with a cool tone and was thin like a giant skewer.

The second one seemed reliable and firm enough to tell the general to go away.

The last one wore a chef's hat and had a blindfold on one eye. The blindfold had a tanned-oyster like color.

Each witch had a unique personality, but the witches had one thing in common. All of them had an intimidating look on their faces.

“H-Hello, I'm Leticia, the third daughter of Count Grey.”

I said, quivering.

The three old ladies looked at Leticia with glistening eyes.

The old woman with a thin and cool impression talked first.

“I'm Alexa, the butler of this castle.”

The strong and reliable old woman came next.

“I am Bastian, the nanny.”

Finally, the old woman with a chef's hat talked.

“I'm Casaro, the chef.”

'I can't believe it.'

What do you mean? Are you saying that these evil-looking old ladies are assigned to positions that are responsible for doing ordinary things?

'Isn't “butler”, “nanny”, and “chef” all slang words for murderers?'

Upon realizing that, Leticia fell on the floor.

“Stay here for now.”

They took Leticia to a small room next to her. They put her on a chair and gave her a snack.

'What's going to happen to me?'

The sound of someone talking could be heard from the hallway.

'The people of this castle seem as though they are having a meeting. What are they talking about?'

I was so nervous that I couldn't bear it. My body was so light that I was able to creep towards the hall quietly.

It wasn't long before she heard a voice.

Chef Casaro was talking.

“She's got nothing but bones! First of all, she has to fatten herself up!”

Hic—

Once she was able to hear what they were talking about, Leticia's eyes widened. But, she made sure to keep her mouth shut.

Only one tear fell after the witch spoke. The witch was trying to intimidate her. Leticia knew it very well.

'I'm not a fool!'

At that moment, there was a squeaking sound from behind.

When she looked back, an old woman, who looked like a giant, came into sight. It was Mrs. Bastian, the one who identified herself as a nanny.

She almost screamed again.

“Come here.”

Bastian said bluntly.

Even though Bastian was an old woman, she was full of energy. There was a force at every step she took. Bastian took Leticia and went underground.

When I opened the door there, hot steam came over me. It was a bathroom made of stones.

Mrs. Bastian ordered the maids.

“First, wash her thoroughly.”

“Yes.”

Leticia was frightened.

It seemed like she had to be washed thoroughly, as if she was a food ingredient.

After the maids washed her up until sunset, she only wore on simple clothes, making it seem as if it was her packaging.

'How dare you eat humans? Isn't your custom barbaric enough?'

Maybe this is all a misunderstanding. Leticia thought and tried to pull herself together.

Suddenly, she saw a strange room.

She noticed it while she was walking alongside the maids as they were instructed to lead her somewhere. In the middle of the dark corridor, a locked room, that seemed as if it was heavily vacated, came into sight.

'After the maids have done their job, the eunuchs, the Lord's minions, will be in charge of taking me to the offering room. Once the locked door is opened, I'll be seeing many dead people!'

The words that her cousin Isabelle spoke, came to her mind.

Leticia's face turned pale, and her legs began to get stiff.

Upon noticing that something was strange, the maids stopped walking.

“What's wrong?”

“Excuse me, what room is that?”

She asked consciously.

When asked that question, the maids had a strange look on their faces.

“It's just a normal room, please don't mind it.”

“Please stop looking. Come on, let's move on.”

They surrounded Leticia so that she wouldn't be able to see it anymore. They walked at a fast pace and left the place.

Soon, they arrived at the designated room.

There were only chairs and tables in the spacious room. The table was full of food. Soup, bread, and meat were spread on the table. It must have been prepared hours ago, but it was still steaming hot. The smell was so appetizing.

But even if so, she couldn't bring herself to eat a lot.

It was because she was concerned.

She ate a few spoons of what was prepared for her, and then, as if she wanted them to notice that she had finished eating, she put the spoon down neatly.

“I'm sorry.”

“Oh, no, I'll clean it for you. Please take a rest.”

The maids carried out the tray.

Leticia listened quietly until the sound of their footsteps disappeared. Then, she sprang to her feet.

“For now, I must know the truth of that room.”

Only then can I plan what I'll do in the future. She has to plan well to survive.

'I won't get eaten.'

She walked through the darkness with her eyes wide open.

The twinkling candle went straight through the corridor. Soon enough, the room reappeared.

The door was not locked now, and there seemed to be people inside.
An old woman's back was seen through the slightly open gap on the door.

It's Alexa, the butler of this castle.

Under her command, the servants were busily preparing something.

She talked in a cold voice.

“The Lord is waiting. Can't you hurry up?”

“Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.”

The servants worked together to move something. It was a large table with four legs.

'It's an altar! It must be an altar for sacrifices!'

Suddenly, the sound of ascending footsteps was heard. Leticia ran like a frightened bird.

'I can't get caught.'

She hid in a gruesome corner far from the room. She leaned her back against the wall of the hallway, panting nervously.

She organized the thoughts in her head.

Leticia's disposition in this castle is undetermined.

The Lord doesn't like his bride, so he is going to make her fat. This is so that she could be sacrificed.

After standing there for a long time, she came to her senses.

She was getting cold due to the night breeze.

'For now, let's go back to the room and get ready to live.'

Leticia turned and looked around…

'…Where is this place…?'

Surprised by his appearance earlier, she ran away. She couldn't remember which direction she came from.

The structure of this ancient castle was complex.

Besides, this was Leticia's first time here today. She couldn't find the way back to her room.

Big bone artifacts popped out of the dark hallway. The more she walked, the more frightened she became.

Unlike the other side, there wasn't any human shadow in this part.

“Someone, please…”

After wandering aimlessly, she finally found a room with lights that were on.

But, at that moment, the fear that had been suppressed, burst out. Leticia ran like she was chased by the darkness and opened the door of the room with the lights on.

“Excuse me, I'm lost…”

All the thoughts she had in her head, disappeared.

It was none other than the Monster Lord.

Thump.

My heart dropped, making me feel suffocated.

'Out of all the places I could've gone to, why did I have to come here?'